Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard Seventeenth District
  2009 Arctic Crossroads
News Release Date: Sept. 1, 2009
Contact: Petty Officer 1st Class David Mosley
Phone: (907) 271-2660

Arctic Crossroads 2009 Multi-agency Deployment Concludes, Coast Guard Cutter and Aircraft Patrols Continue

In this photo released by the Coast Guard, a 24-foot response boat crew launches their boat for operations in the Arctic waters off of Barrow, Alaska, Aug. 25. A three-member team from the Pacific Area Environmental Strike Team is operating the 24-foot boat; this specialty boat from the Strike Team’s Ne Viejo, Calif. base is used for response to environmental pollution incidents along the West Coast of the United States. (Coast Guard photo/ Petty Officer 1st Class David Mosley)    In this photo released by the Coast Guard, a 25-foot response boat crew trailers their boat after operations in the Arctic waters off of Barrow, Alaska, Aug. 25. The 25-foot is crewed by three members of Coast Guard Station Valdez. The 25-foot is the primary safety and security response boat for the Coast Guard. (Coast Guard photo/ Petty Officer 1st Class David Mosley)   In this photo released by the Coast Guard, Lt. Cmdr. Lauren Davidson, Veterinarian Public Health Service performs one of the last surgeries of Operation Arctic Crossroads, a neutering of a year old pit bull, as Lt. Cmdr. Michael McNeil, operations commander Coast Guard forward operating location Barrow, Alaska, watches the procedure at the Barrow Veterinary Clinic Aug. 28.(Coast Guard photo/ Petty Officer 1st Class David Mosley)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The multi-agency phase of operation Arctic Crossroads concluded Sunday following 20 days of testing assets, area familiarization and community outreach.

Utilizing expertise from all over the United States, members of the Coast Guard, U.S. Air Force, Army National Guard, Air National Guard and U.S. Public Health Services deployed for this operation. Medical and water safety teams were taken to villages in Northern and Northwest Alaska with the assistance of the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. Communities visited included Kivalina, Koyuk, Wales, Unalakleet, Shishmaref, Savoonga, Gambell, Little Diomede, Teller, Brevig, Barrow, Wainwright, Atqasuk, Pt. Lay, Kaktovik and Nuiqsut. Medical doctors examined 166 patients, an optometrist examined 149 patients, a dentist treated 14 patients and veterinarians treated 1,169 animals.

The Coast Guard also successfully tested 4 types of small boats including a Special Purpose Craft-Shallow Water boat (SPC-SW), a 25' Response Boat-Small (RB-S), an 18' Sea Wolf Kite boat, and a 24' Munson boat.

"Major goals include identifying best practices for operating in the northern-most regions of the United States while fostering positive, mutually beneficial relationships with the First People that have lived there for centuries," said Rear Adm. Christopher Colvin, Commander of 17th Coast Guard District, "We are successfully meeting our objectives which is critical for potential operations in the Arctic as we look north to the future."

The Coast Guard Cutters Alex Haley and Spar continue surface patrols while biweekly Arctic Domain Awareness flights are being conducted from Air Station Kodiak. For more information regarding deploying aboard Coast Guard cutters and aircraft contact 17th District External Affairs in Juneau at 907-463-2065.

 

###
The United States Coast Guard -- Proud History. Powerful Future. 

Printer Friendly Versionprinter friendly